GradSWE & Mentoring

About the Mentoring Program

The GradSWE mentoring program serves as an avenue for graduate women in SWE to network with a formal mentor and build a relationship that will foster growth and support throughout their careers. Proteges and mentors both submit interest forms and are matched based on their responses. Once both mentor and protege accept the arrangement, the relationship has begun. The mentoring coordinators include topics of interest on the GradSWE blog related to mentoring periodically to facilitate conversations, but it is the responsibility of the protege to start the conversations.

Roles and ExpectationsRoles and expectations of the mentoring program are agreed upon between mentors and proteges. At minimum, it is expected that both parties will be open and honest with each other about their availability and desire to participate in the relationship. Ideally, both parties will share their professional goals with each other and will be able to help each other reach their goals. There is no requirement or expectation from GradSWE with regard to extraordinary efforts or monetary investments to make the mentoring relationship successful.

Protege Eligibility

Proteges must be enrolled in graduate school when they apply to the program

Proteges must demonstrate drive for personal development

Proteges must be in good standing with SWE

Mentor Eligibility

Mentors must demonstrate competency in a needed area of knowledge

Mentors can be male or female

Mentors can have any engineering background, but must have an engineering background

Mentors will preferably have a graduate degree. This is not a requirement, but there is no guarantee for a protege match without a graduate degree due to the demographic of our students being in GradSWE, and many of their questions may have to do with transitions to full time employment with a graduate degree.

It is not necessary for a mentor to join SWE for the first year of participation in the program. After one year, if the individual wishes to not join SWE, existing relationships will remain but no new proteges will be assigned.

How to enrollBoth proteges and mentors can enroll in the program by submitting interest forms. Mentors are able to enroll at any time, while proteges have an open enrollment window at certain times of the year to limit the time between enrollment and receiving a mentor.